Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-07-16
GODS IN CAPTIVITY.
IDOLS IN NEW YORK FROM CHINA
AFRICA AND INDIA.
Descriptions OF Some of the Promi-
nent Gods and Goddesses-
The Chinese Adam.

There are about 200 heather idols in this
city, of which the Presbyterian collection
has eighty-fve. These embrace idols from
China, India, Mexico and Africa, and in
| clude sufficient variety TO satisfy the most
pronounced heather. A heather god does
not pride himself on his beauty but relies
on his horrid grotesqueness to send chill
down the backbone of his devoted. One of
the three Mexican idols is of wood. The
sculptor evidently used jack-knife, and
gave the idol great angularity in all direc-
tons, especially at the knee and elbow
the Intervention of hands. The body is
very long and the face utterly without ex-
preston. Another Mexican specimen re-
sembles
THE OLD AZTEC DEITIEs,
With heavy masses of stone carving about
the head, q stern expression in the face,
and vigorous ugliness strongly predomi-
nant in every feature The third of the
/ Mexican gods is of wood and resembles a
| coal HEAVIER with profusion of black paint
on his face, heavy muscles and a garment
of green cloth.
There is one African idol. It's counte-
nance looks like distorted negro face,
with lips as if cut apart by huge pillow.
The nose is of triangular shape, and the
| ridge extends through the forehead to the
hair, which is composed of braided cords.
The dress is of black and white cotton
cloth, and her shoulders are covered with
cape of red flannel. The arms extend
nearly to the feet and are very clumsy.
VARIOUS CHINESE GODS.
Fiss Sing is the Chinese god of literature.
He is worshiped by all literary men. He
is represented with one foot on the head of
the sacred fish, and is evidently as much
down On 1t as an American editor is on a
fish story. He holds aloft in one hand
pen, which looks like cigarette, and is
made of paper. In the one hand is tab
let OF papyrus. Unlike literary men he is
| very homely. He has large ears, and has
| apparently just received some news end is
hurrying to get it in the last edition. His
left foot is raised behind him, as if in the
act OF running. Lui Kung is
THE GOD OF THUNDER
Thunder and lightning are supposed to be
under his control, and he is much feared
His upper lip is constructed on the princi-
| pie OF cowcatcher. Tie nose is chopped
| off squarely at the bottom. Each check is
| ornamented with brazen spot. His ears
are large and broad and above them are
| two large flaps like elephants ears and red
as beets. He wears a golden robe and
looks generally as il he were running
against high wind. His right hand is
raised as il to touch off the thunder Each
| foot has three toes. and his knees are COW
| cred with mail He is seated in large
chair. Prin Xii Wing,
THE CHINESE ADAM,
nese theory. He sprang out of chaos,
and then remodeled the heavens and the
earth. He is worshiped principally by
erectors OF meat sheds in China He is
seated squarely on block, and holds one
OF the Chinese diagrams" or amulets, in
his hands, has short skirt about his loins
and mantle on his shoulders His fore.
head is high and streaked with black paint.
| His ears are large, face fair and his hair is
| raised in heavy lines. Dee Low-K Don, a
| Daldheaded, benevolent old fellow, with
| long tufts of horsehair whiskers, is one of
| the Seen" an imaginary species of genii,
of men who have become immortal and
| inhabit the hills. His business is to teach
| men to find the Elixir of Life Tor to make
| it, or a medicine which confers immor-
tally.
THE BUDDHIST VIRGIN.
Kevan Len is the Buddhist virgin. She
| is attired 10 gold, has face of the color of
red clay, and is under canopy with arms
| resting on balcony. Two brother gods,
without names, have deep black faces,
with heavy whiskers and mustaches in
| tufts like boys in swamp of inky water.
One has his eyes turned downward; the
| others are distended as if he had Just ended
severe fit of choking. Above the one are
strung couple of black keys, and the other
| has OrDamaDtq af tho sauna lind ~, ,rb;to
| metal. Nearly all the Chinese gods have
| nicely curled mustaches. When they have
whiskers they are in the tuft form, stiff as
porcupine quilts. Feen-hau is
THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN,
And is very generally worshiped in China,
| especially by seamen. She is enshrined in
every vessel, and has many temples on
| land. She has gentle expression. There
are several representations of her. In one
she is seated in large chair, completely
filling it, and has flat piece of wood on her
head. In another she is represented in
gold clothing, with her hands wrapped in
rich mantle. She has large ears, with
drops, holds a scepter, and looks like fat
China woman. kum-yam, or the Goddess
of Mercy, is worshiped by all classes. She
is huge female in dark red with large
limbs, and is seated with child resting on
one knee. Her face has mild expression
and she is not particularly homely
AN IMAGE OF BUDpHA
About TO be consecrated when bought, was
| made in Siam, and cost 62l cents in silver
The Sacred Bull is in marble and is kneel-
ing down. 1t is very heavy No 10Y of
the collection is necklace. The Hindus
think they cannot tell lie when this is on
their neck. Sing Wan San Poosa is q god
of riches and is a solitary character. 1t is
said be has given the wealth of China to
England, and he is therefore heartily de-
spised. Ram, incarnation of Vishnu, is in
marble. He was found in Sutledge river,
near Lodiana, having been thrown there
because of broken arm. When an idol
has limb broken he is thrown away.
There are four representations of the incar-
nations of Vishnu. One is the Boar Ava
tar, which is looking up, supporting the
world on his snout. He has bears head
but a mans body The Fish Avatar has
the body of fish with the head of a wo-
man and four hands He holds scepter
in his left hand and is trampling on a man.
Katch Bvatar has two scepters and is four
handed.-Ne,c To,k Mait and Express